Welcome to the website of the ZWU
The Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU)
Established in 2003, the ZWU is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research centre at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), dedicated to innovative environmental research focussing primarily on biodiversity, the urban water cycle and water quality.
The ZWU coordinates the University´s key research area "water research" by pooling experience and resources of scientists and experts in water and environmental research from the UDE, the University Alliance Ruhr (UAR) and the region to improve interdisciplinary collaborations.
More about the key research area water researchCurrent activites and news
June 2022 Attention new date - WRHC 2022
On 27-28 September 2022, ZWU will host the Water Research Horizon Conference (WRHC) together with the Water Science Alliance. This year's two-day conference will focus on "Aquatic Ecosystems between Conservation and Exploitation".
More information about the programme will follow soon!
June 2022 Publication of the DGMT policy paper
The DGMT working group on micropollutants has developed a policy paper on "Membrane technology to prevent antibiotic resistance in water", which has just been published.
The position paper informs about the problem of resistances in wastewater and shows possible technical solutions.
April 2022 Honorary professorship for Dr. Christoph Donner
Dr. Christoph Donner has been a lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen for over 10 years in the Urban Water Management Unit. His expertise ranges from the basics of water management to specific topics such as asset management.
We look forward to welcoming an interdisciplinary thinker, practitioner and thought leader in water management!
April 2022 Registration for the Chrysophycea Symposium is now open
The international Chrysophyceae Symposium will take place this year from 8.8. to 11.8.22 at the University of Duisburg-Essen!
The focus of the symposium is on chrysophytes but studies on other mixotrophic algae are also welcome.
Registration for the event is now open.
April 2022 5.3 million euros funding for climate-neutral chemistry
The NRW government is now funding the construction of a power-to-X test platform at the UDE with 5.3 million euros.
Professor Klaus Görner is the scientific director of this project, in which "surplus" electricity is turned into storable products that can be used when needed.
April 2022 WDR Lokalzeit visits SFB Resist
The WDR Lokalzeit visited the Collaborative Research Centre SFB Resist to film a documentary on research into multiple stressors.
The WDR reports on ExStream, which uses mesocosms to test the effects of three stressors on groups of organisms and on ecosystem functions.
February 2022 Start of the Research Alliance
The three universities Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Technische Universität Dortmund and UDE are now establishing four new research centres and a "College for Social Sciences and Humanities".
The ZWU is supporting the research centre "One Health" through its involvement in the area of Ecosystem Health.
More ZWU news
Find out more about the current activities and news from the ZWU network.
The key research area coordinated by the ZWU
One of the greatest challenges for the 21st century is to ensure the sustainable use of the global resource water. The key research area water research established by the University of Duisburg-Essen and headed by the Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU) is dedicated to adress the growing challenges.
The FutureWaterCampus
The FuturewaterCampus (FWC) promotes the development and expansion of research infrastructure in the fields of membrane, algae and photocatalysis research.
Current research projects
Explore our current projects and learn more about about our research.
German Society for Membrane Technology (DGMT) e.V.
The office of the German Society for Membrane Technology (DGMT) e.V. is located at the ZWU. For more information on the DGMT please visit the DGMT website.